‘Procure local to benefit smallholders and fight hunger’

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has exposed the inadequacies in South Africa’s current food system, as well as the reality of hunger faced by millions of South Africans.

This was the conclusion of panelists during an Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) webinar, which examined corporate domination in the South African food system.

The webinar was facilitated by Prof Ruth Hall of PLAAS.

According to Mervyn Abrahams of the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group in KwaZulu-Natal, a significant increase in food prices had been observed over the past two months. Abrahams, whose organisation publishes a monthly household affordability index, said its food basket containing 38 food items, has increased 7,8% or R249 from R3 221 to R3 470 per month.

He pointed out that the food products driving the increases in the food basket were mainly essential staples such as maize meal, rice, cake flour, and cooking oil.

“We have also witnessed a massive [price] increase across [all] fresh produce, particularly vegetables. Potatoes increased 8%, while cabbage and carrots increased 22%.”

He added that social distancing at supermarkets and public transport restrictions were preventing the strategy of low-income shoppers to shop for the lowest prices at several supermarkets.

“Now, they are becoming pricetakers. They have to go into one store and purchase what they need, no matter the price. If these items cost more than what they have budgeted for, certain items fall [away in] the ‘basket’, generally […] fresh produce.”

Hall pointed out that the supply chain linking commercial farms to large food manufactures and supermarkets were largely intact and shelves were stocked, but food prices were escalating. “While there may be ample agricultural productivity, this does not trickle down to household level.”

According to Dr Stephen Greenberg, research coordinator at the African Centre for Biodiversity, one way of addressing price increases was to shorten supply chains. “In our current food system, we have a few, very large food manufacturers and retailers that basically control producers and consumers, and essentially the market.”

He added that future food systems needed to be more localised and based on small enterprises.

“The food system must be democratised to allow for more active involvement of local role players in these systems.” – Jeandré van der Walt